Princess Cruises: What's included and what's not?
Princess Cruises offers a good blend of traditional and modern cruising with an emphasis on dining, entertainment and relaxation. While Princess offers many actives and dining for free, not everything is included and it may be to know what's included on a Princess Cruises cruise.
In this post, we will detail exactly what is included on a Princess cruise and what costs extra.
Accommodation
Your accommodation is completely included in the cost of your cruise. Importantly Princess Cruises offers a wide range of cabins to suit all budgets. From inside cabins unto luxury suites.
All cabins feature twins-to-queen beds and most ships include the Princess Luxury Bed which we found incredibly comfortable.
Your cabin is included in the cost of your cruise. - Photo: Cruise with Ben & David
Your accommodation will include a room steward who will clean your room cabin twice a day, replace your towels and turn your cabin down on an evening. Complete with a chocolate on the pillow and the odd towel animal too.
New and renovated cabins are equipped with flat-screen which include a wide range of complimentary on-demand content and live tv channels. We were very impressed with the TVs in the room. There was a wide range of tv shows, movies and documentaries available.
What's included in a Princess Cruises cabin?
Toiletries including Shampoo/Conditioner, Body Wash and Bar Hand Soap
Hand Towels and Bath Towels
Pool Towels
Hairdryer
A Refrigerator
Kettle with Tea & Coffee (UK Cruises only)
A TV with live TV channels plus free on-demand movies and tv shows.
A Safe
A Desk Area
A Large Closet Area
Your Lifejackets
Also, you can request bathrobes and slippers from your cabin steward who will provide these if they are available.
Club class cabin and suites feature Bathrobe as standard and Suites also feature a complimentary Mini Bar.
Dining
Princess offers a wide range of complementary and extra-charge dining options.
The main dining room is included on a Princess cruise for breakfast, lunch - on sea days, afternoon tea and evening dinner. You will be allocated a main dining room for evening dinner when you board. All the main dining rooms serve the exact same menu each evening so it does not matter what dining room you are allocated.
The Buffet is available for breakfast, lunch and dinner. - Photo: Cruise with Ben & David
The Club Class dining room is an exclusive area of the Main Dining Room featuring an expanded menu and dedicated waitstaff. Club Class dining is available to guests in full suites and Club Class mini-suites.
In addition to the dining room, the buffet is open for breakfast, lunch, afternoon snacks and dinner. The buffet serves a wide range of food and includes themed evenings, such as Italian, Mexican and British evenings. Larger ships also feature a separate Patisserie within the buffet serving cakes, desserts and cookies.
The international cafe, located in the atrium, is also free and open 24-hours a day. It serves services a selection of small dishes, soups, sandwiches, salads and desserts. In the morning it also serves breakfast items including hot breakfast sandwiches.
Other complementary options include Alfredo's Pizzeria. A sit-down restaurant serving made-to-order pizza during the day and evening. Plus, most ships feature a poolside grill serving complimentary hot dogs, hamburgers and other snacks. Also, most ships feature a pool size pizza counter offering a selection of complimentary pizza by the slice.
Dining included on a Princess cruise
The main dining room
The Buffet including the Patisserie
The International Cafe - 24-hours a day
Pool Side Grill
Pool Size Pizzeria
Chopsticks Noodle Bar
Swirls ice cream bar
Alfredo's Pizza restaurant is a extra charge venue. - Photo: Cruise with Ben & David
Room service breakfast is also available for no extra charge (except for pizza), but the menu is limited. Breakfast includes a continental selection which the lunch and dinner menu features a small selection of soups, salads, sandwiches and small dishes.
Paid for Dining
In addition to the free dining options, Princess also offers paid-for options called Speciality Dining. These range in price and some charge a one-off cover charge while others charge per item. There is an 18% gratuity charge on top of all paid-for dining purchased.
Paid-for dining venues on Princess Cruise include the following;
Bayou Café
Bistro Sur La Mer
Chef's Table
Crown Grill
Crab Shack
Gelato Bar
Harmony
Kai Sushi
Le Mer
Ocean Terrace Seafood Bar
Sabatini's
The Salty Dog Gastropub
SHARE by Curtis Stone
Sterling Steakhouse
Ultimate Balcony Dining
Winemaker's Dinners
Alfredos Pizzeria
Room service
Also, the following complementary options include up-charge selections;
Room Service canapés and pizza (Other options are free)
Swirls premium options (Soft serve ice cream is free)
Restaurant availability varies between the ships. you can find out more about Princess Cruises dining and specialty restaurants here.
Free Drinks
In the buffet, you will find a drinks station serving a small selection of soft drinks. A small selection is also available at the International Cafe including the standard teas.
Each bar can provide you with iced water and some will also have water stations at the end of each bar for you to help yourself.
What drinks are included on a Princess cruise?
Still Water
Ice Tea
Lemonade
Selection of Standard Teas (Various flavours including Black Tea, Camomile, Mint & Early Grey)
Standard Brewed Coffee (Both regular and decaffeinated)
You can also grab a free glass of sparkling wine at the captain's welcome party, the art auction and some on-board store promotional events.
Additionally, members of the loyalty club will receive a free drink at the welcome back event.
Paid-for Drinks
All other drinks onboard are paid for. Drinks can be purchased from one of the many bars on-bard or through room service.
The International Cafe also serves premium teas, premium brewed coffee and speciality coffee for an extra charge
Alcohol is not included on Princess Cruises. Photo: Cruise with Ben & David
How much are drinks on Princess Cruises?
Wine ranges from $7 - 9 per glass
Beer is around $5 - 6 dollars per glass.
Cocktails are about $8 - 9 per cocktail
Spirits are around $6 - 9 per shot
. Coffee is priced from $3 per cup
An 18% gratuity charge is added to all drinks purchased on board.
Drinks Packages
Princess Cruises offer drinks packages that can be bought before your cruise or onboard the ship.
Classic Soda Package - Unlimited fountain sodas, fruit juices, smoothies and cocktails
Premier Coffee & Soda Package - All the above plus premium coffee, premium teas and hot chocolate.
Premier Beverage Package - All the above plus wines by the glass, beer, cocktails, spirits, and individual bottled water.
New Grounds Coffee Package - includes a specified number of speciality coffees (varies depending on the cruise) plus unlimited premium brewed coffee, premium teas and hot chocolate.
There is a one-off 18% gratuity charge on the cost of your drinks package. However, you do not pay gratuity on any drinks you order as part of your package onboard.
Read our guide to drinks packages on Princess Cruises for prices and more information in addition to the Princess Cruises drinks terms and conditions.
Entertainment, Activities and Facilities included on a Princess cruise
All of the entertainment is on board a Princess cruise is included. This includes the shows in the main theatre, live entertainment around the ship, daily activities and "Movies under the Stars" where they show blockbuster films on the main-deck with free popcorn.
Furthermore, the children clubs are completely free and are for children aged from 3 - 17.
Movies Under the Stars is free and includes free popcorn. - Photo: Cruise with Ben & David
Free Entertainment and activities included on a Princess Cruise
All children’s clubs
All shows in the main theatre
Live music and entertainment around the ship including resident bands and visiting acts.
Daily activities including quizzes, game shows, lectures, demonstrations and sports actives.
Art Gallery, Art Lectures and Auctions - Free to view and attend but don't forget you have to pay for what you bid on.
The Princess Book Club
Access to the gym/fitness centre
Some fitness & dance classes (such as Zumba, Yoga & Tai Chi)
Mini-golf (available on some ships)
"Movies under the Stars"
Use of the main pool and adults-only pool areas
Use of the sports court and sports equipment such as table tennis.
The Library
Access to card rooms and games rooms
Access to the Casino - but don't forget you have to pay to play.
The Pools are free to use on Princess Cruises - Photo: Cruise with Ben & David
Paid-for activities on Princess Cruises
All Spa Treatments
Access to the thermal suite.
Hair and beauty salon.
Fitness Classes (other than the free options)
The Sanctuary - See below
Poolside Cabanas
Sing on the Sea karaoke suites (Available on Majestic Princess)
Wine Tasting / Cocktail Tasting
The Ultimate Ship Tour
Royal Afternoon Tea
All Shore Excursions
Internet Cafe
The Sanctuary
The Princess Cruises Sanctuary Half-day pass costs $20 per person. This can be used from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. or 1 to 5 p.m.
The Princess Cruises Sanctuary Full-day passes cost $40 per person.
During special cruise experiences, such as cruising through Glacier Bay or the Suez Canal, prices can vary. Check your cruise personiser prior to sailing.
Ultimate Ship Tour
The Princess Cruises Ultimate Ship Tour costs $150 USD per person and can be booked onboard at guest services.
The guided tour takes guests behind the scenes and gives guests the chance to visit the Backstage Area where you can meet some of the singers or dancers, Galley and Food Production Areas where you will meet the chef, Engine Control Room, Incinerator Room, Print Shop, Photo Laboratory, Medical Center, Main Laundry, Funnel and Bridge.
As these are working areas the tour varies from time to time and you may not see all the areas listed here.
Wine Tasting
The Grapevines Wine Tasting costs $9.95 USD per person. The experience features 6 standard wines.
The Maitre 'd Wine Tasting costs $25 USD per person. The experience features 6 premium wines and a selection of canopies.
Royal Afternoon Tea
While the standard afternoon tea in the Buffet is included on a Princess cruise, the Royal afternoon tea costs extra.
The Royal Afternoon tea is a white-gloved premium afternoon tea experience.
Princess Cruises Royal Afternoon tea costs $10 USD per person or $20 USD per person with champagne.
A free afternoon tea experience is also available. Check the daily guide to see time and location.
Gratuities
Gratuities are not included on a Princess cruise.
Each day you're on the ship, a gratuity charge will be automatically added to your account unless you chose to prepay your gratuities. This is spread among the crew.
Gratuities cost, as of October 2019, for all guests;
$14. 50 per person, per day for guests in inside, oceanview and balcony cabins.
$15.50 per person, per day for guests in club class cabins, mini-suites and suites.
You always have the choice to scale up or scale down depending on the quality of service that you've received.